Standard zombie fare

Rating: 6/10 (3 June 2005)

28 Days Later is a zombie film that really doesn't have much of anything remarkable about it. It's certainly not terrific, but it's certainly not awful either. It's just kind of there. The film has a fascinating premise, some startling visuals and a few moments of mild terror. But it never really rises above the mundane, there's nothing that makes it truly stand out from the pack.
28 Days Later follows Jim, played by Cillian Murphy, who awakes from a 28-day coma to find London completely deserted. The shots of the deserted city, with the perfect music to match, are haunting, probably the most memorable thing about the film. Jim will soon find the city is in fact not completely deserted as he comes upon a pack of zombies with murderous intentions. Rescued by a young man and woman, Jim will learn that all of London, indeed it seems all of Britain and possibly the world, has been infected with a rage virus that turns them into these murderous creatures. We soon meet a father and a daughter who have also managed to survive. The father is played by Brendan Gleeson, the most recognizable face in a film featuring mainly unknowns.
The small band of survivors eventually make their way to Manchester where the film gets somewhat bogged down. It's almost as if the zombies become forgotten and we acquire some new villains who are all too human, all too normal and all too dull. Eventually things begin to move towards what is ultimately a rather unsatisfying conclusion. The film has some great visuals, some fine performances, including that of relative unknown Naomie Harris as Selena, one of Jim's companions on his journey, and a great story to tell. But what started with a great premise and the promise of some genuine thrills in the end falls rather flat. 28 Days Later goes out not with a bang but with a whimper.